--- a/liboctave/oct-mutex.cc
+++ b/liboctave/oct-mutex.cc
@@ -35,85 +35,83 @@
 #include <windows.h>
 #endif
 
-class
-octave_default_mutex : public octave_mutex
+void
+octave_base_mutex::lock (void)
 {
-public:
-    octave_default_mutex (void)
-	: octave_mutex (-1) { }
+  error ("mutex not supported on this platform");
+}
 
-    void lock (void)
-      { error ("mutex not supported on this platform"); }
-
-    void unlock(void)
-      { error ("mutex not supported on this platform"); }
-};
+void
+octave_base_mutex::unlock (void)
+{
+  error ("mutex not supported on this platform");
+}
 
 #if defined (__WIN32__) && ! defined (__CYGWIN__)
 
 class
-octave_w32_mutex : public octave_mutex
+octave_w32_mutex : public octave_base_mutex
 {
 public:
-    octave_w32_mutex (void)
-	: octave_mutex (-1)
-      {
-	InitializeCriticalSection (&cs);
-      }
+  octave_w32_mutex (void)
+    : octave_base_mutex ()
+  {
+    InitializeCriticalSection (&cs);
+  }
 
-    ~octave_w32_mutex (void)
-      {
-	DeleteCriticalSection (&cs);
-      }
+  ~octave_w32_mutex (void)
+  {
+    DeleteCriticalSection (&cs);
+  }
 
-    void lock (void)
-      {
-	EnterCriticalSection (&cs);
-      }
+  void lock (void)
+  {
+    EnterCriticalSection (&cs);
+  }
 
-    void unlock (void)
-      {
-	LeaveCriticalSection (&cs);
-      }
+  void unlock (void)
+  {
+    LeaveCriticalSection (&cs);
+  }
 
 private:
-    CRITICAL_SECTION cs;
+  CRITICAL_SECTION cs;
 };
 
 #elif defined (HAVE_PTHREAD_H)
 
 class
-octave_pthread_mutex : public octave_mutex
+octave_pthread_mutex : public octave_base_mutex
 {
 public:
-    octave_pthread_mutex (void)
-	: octave_mutex (-1)
-      {
-	pthread_mutexattr_t attr;
+  octave_pthread_mutex (void)
+    : octave_base_mutex ()
+  {
+    pthread_mutexattr_t attr;
 
-	pthread_mutexattr_init (&attr);
-	pthread_mutexattr_settype (&attr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE);
-	pthread_mutex_init (&pm, &attr);
-	pthread_mutexattr_destroy (&attr);
-      }
+    pthread_mutexattr_init (&attr);
+    pthread_mutexattr_settype (&attr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE);
+    pthread_mutex_init (&pm, &attr);
+    pthread_mutexattr_destroy (&attr);
+  }
 
-    ~octave_pthread_mutex (void)
-      {
-	pthread_mutex_destroy (&pm);
-      }
+  ~octave_pthread_mutex (void)
+  {
+    pthread_mutex_destroy (&pm);
+  }
 
-    void lock (void)
-      {
-	pthread_mutex_lock (&pm);
-      }
+  void lock (void)
+  {
+    pthread_mutex_lock (&pm);
+  }
 
-    void unlock (void)
-      {
-	pthread_mutex_unlock (&pm);
-      }
+  void unlock (void)
+  {
+    pthread_mutex_unlock (&pm);
+  }
 
 private:
-    pthread_mutex_t pm;
+  pthread_mutex_t pm;
 };
 
 #endif
@@ -125,7 +123,6 @@
 #elif defined (HAVE_PTHREAD_H)
   rep = new octave_pthread_mutex ();
 #else
-  rep = new octave_default_mutex ();
+  rep = new octave_base_mutex ();
 #endif
-  rep->count = 1;
 }